One of the first political speakers for this Saturday’s Fancy Farm Picnic is U.S. Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The sixth term senator from Louisville last weekend indicated he’s already looking forward to a seventh term in Congress.
Eastern Kentucky University Department of Government Professor Joe Gershtenson says McConnell may have been sounding an early message for would be challengers. “It’s one thing to run for an open seat. It’s a whole nothing thing to run against an incumbent and certainly running against McConnell has proved challenging for a number of challengers,” said Gershtenson.
He says McConnell may be reaffirming his intentions even beyond the next U.S. president’s term. "You know I’m planning on being around and here is leadership in the party that is kind of consistent with what this party has been about in recent years and I’m planning on kind of keeping the ship on the same path as we move forward.”
Within the Washington beltway, Gershtenson says the senate leader may also be indicating the intent to carry on an existing GOP philosophy, no matter who wins the U.S. presidency.
